Left turn laws in South Carolina are implemented to prevent serious accidents. In South Carolina, vehicles making left turns are a major cause of severe crashes. The aftermath of an accident causes people to suffer pain, physical damages, financial damages, and emotional damages. It becomes extremely difficult to deal with post-accident complications.
Taking a left turn requires the driver to be vigilant towards the traffic. It is essential for the driver to carefully look out for oncoming vehicles. Watching the bicyclists and pedestrians is also necessary to prevent fatal accidents. Moreover, the right-of-way should be carefully determined before turning.
The negligence of another driver can cost you your life. You may even suffer from life-threatening injuries. Serious injuries may include traumatic brain injury, permanent disability, and amputations. If you or your loved ones are suffering from a serious accident due to another driver’s negligence, know your legal rights through an attorney.
Left Turn Laws in South Carolina – The Uniform Act:
Several reasons can cause an accident, left turn laws in South Carolina provide safety against accidents that occur due to sudden turns. In 2019 approximately 39,107 people died in car crashes. The law of South Carolina determines the responsibilities of drivers who intend to take a turn.
In the same direction of ongoing traffic, the driver must use the farthest left-hand lane available for turning left. The driver mustn’t initiate left-turning from the middle or rightmost lane. When a left lane is available, you are required to use it for a left turn. The drivers are required to make the turn to the left of the center of the intersection. The drivers turning left are not allowed to hinder the traffic from moving in the same direction.
The turn should be taken when it is safe and practical. The approach also depends on the intersection. If an intersection has a signal for a left turn, then wait until the green arrow appears. The right-of-way should be provided to oncoming traffic on an intersection with a signal that has no arrow symbol. A driver may exhibit negligent behavior either by misjudging the distance of oncoming traffic, hindering the traffic, or failing to watch the oncoming traffic.
On an intersection that does not have a stoplight, the driver can turn left only when it’s their right-of-way. At a four-way stop, the right-of-way is provided to the driver that reached the intersection first. If several drivers enter the intersection, then the right-of-way is given to the driver on the right. You will be held liable for any collision that occurs if you make a left turn when you don’t have the right of way. It is considered against the law.
Another provision of South Carolina’s Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways is associated with two-way left-turn lanes. If a specific lane is provided to drivers for turning left but it proceeds in the opposite direction, a driver cannot make a left turn in any other lane. Drivers cannot use these lanes unless they are preparing to turn left or make a U-turn.
Proving a Case Against a Left-Turn Driver; How Auto Accident Lawyers in Greenville, SC Go About it:
Left-turn crashes usually involve motorcycle accidents, head-on collisions, and T-bone accidents. To avoid accidents, drivers are required to be careful while intending to make a left turn. The drivers have the legal responsibility to care for the safety of others on the road. If it is proved that another driver in the same condition would have avoided taking a left turn, the driver can be held responsible and guilty.
Get in Touch with a Car Accident Attorney in Greenville, SC to Know Your Legal Options:
If you have faced an accident due to another driver’s negligence attempting to make a left turn, you are eligible to receive compensation for your damages. You may be able to receive compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. The compensation can include damages from any injury, property damages, and emotional damages.
South Carolina is an at-fault state. The driver at fault is responsible to compensate for the damages of the victim. Your attorney will strengthen your case to prove the other driver’s fault. An attorney will attain expert opinion, analyze the facts of the accident, and interview eyewitnesses to establish the claim.
Left turn laws in South Carolina must be followed to protect people from tragic accidents. Your car accident attorney will prove that the other driver had a duty of care, which was breached by making an unsafe left turn thus resulting in a crash. Our Greenville auto accident attorneys have years of hands-on experience in similar cases. We are here to protect your rights and provide you the compensation for your damages.
